A tale of Two Deaths
by WhiteHaweke
Summary: One day, a storm gave me new life. The next, my life began. And the year after that I began to realise that home was something I would have to find again.
1. Chapter 1- Concepts

The infinite cosmic reality of space could never show you what you were truly after. Neither could the friend that's been there with you since you could remember. In truth, there is not one being, dead or otherwise, that could even have the faintest chances of doing so.

There is only one way you could even find that thing you're after. And it's not straight forward, it can't be bought easily. In fact, I don't think it can be bought at all.

Some believe they belong in an alternate reality with its own infinite cosmos. But the fact of that matter is, much like the topic of obtaining what you are truly after, is that if that were so, you, at this very moment, would be there. But, I am going to take a wild guess here, and assume you haven't been world hopping. And that you haven't ended up on this rather humble piece of rock known as Earth.

But then, it raises the question, were you in fact from another world, but in traversing the cosmos and the breach, your memories were taken, then you became nothing but a whisper that took hold in your mothers womb? Or were you always a simple, non-magic, unworthy human that wishes they were not?

We will never know. All we can know is that we are here.

We are human.

That is all we can ever be.

But, we can look into the cosmos, waiting for something to look back. Or, perhaps, when we stop looking, it will look back. And we will find what we were after.

This isn't about some silly views on what ifs. This is about falling into another universe.

One where our laws of reason and logic are replaced with the very aspect of magic itself. Giving new meaning to logic, and giving birth to things we could only hope to see on the big screen.

But, we had seen it on the big screen. Though it wasn't as maddening or as dark. It was simple and gave hope when it should have taken it.

I wish I'd never woken up that day, never gotten the chance to do what I had done. To see what I had witnessed. And then to float back to reality, well, the reality as I once knew it. Some years later. But only as you see me now.

As words on a page, fluttered back through time and space. Or perhaps it was forward through them both. I do not know.

I know only one thing that is certain, one that I dearly wish hadn't become my reality. This truth is that I died, twice. Well, I only think I died twice. I'm only certain of the second time. The first was more of a shudder that never ended before it dropped me off in the worst place you could imagine.

A place of magic that I would rather not wake up to. But awake to it I did.

Without further ado, this is the tale of two deaths.


	2. Chapter 2- Strombringer

**I'm getting ahead of myself here, I forgot the Disclaimer in the first chapter. So, here it is.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not claim any rights over any of the Marvel characters or events, I only claim those in relation to anything I create. So far that is Julia Murphy and a few others that have yet to be revealed. I also own the storm, and it me.**

 **This story is for entertainment purposes only. Any relation to a person deceased or otherwise is strictly coincidental.**

 **.**

* * *

A bed fit for a queen lay in the center of a carpeted room, cream curtains hung about the window. The beds posts were stained darkly, as were the bed side tables and the dresser, across from the bed was the door, to its left was the window, and the right was where the built-in wardrobe hid.

The burgundy blankets were thrown about as it's occupant grew tired of dictating everything that was going on about her. In her head. Again.

Hazel eyes peeked above the covers, a caramel blonde birds nest on her head. That she had to fix before going out today, not that it seemed like a good option. A sudden clap of thunder, and the hammering of rain against the roof made her doubly aware of her predicament.

She was meant to be meeting her family for dinner in the afternoon, which was on the coast. A full seven hour drive in the rain was going to put her in a damp mood. If only it were from the rain, but no.

People got stupid when the weather did. For her, it liked to wake her up. When it rained, she never got car sick. Which was odd, if it were anything but a car, she would be fine.  
With great effort, she managed to drag herself free from the cocoon of warmth. Then made her way through the living area hosting only a small tele and lounge, straight to the bathroom.

She got ready for her trip in less than an hour. She had tossed on whatever she felt like, like she always does. Usually consisting of a random print shirt, jeans of various dark shades or cargo pants. And, without a doubt her coat, or leather jacket. She never left without those in winter. She wore her converse for long drives, then switched to a pair of boots.

She exited her small house that rested on the Great Western Highway in Australia. Living on a highway was great, you could live near one and have your house sitting a mile back into the bush. Only you had to fight the snakes and spiders to get anything done.

She got into her 4WD, and drove down her trek of a driveway, being glad of no potholes, and then finally pulled onto the highway. Going straight to her destination, and, if she were lucky, she would get it over with in the seven hours she planned for it to take.

An hour in, and on the mountains to boot, the rain turned to hail. But it was still raining like it was trying to flood the heavens. It went on like this for an hour, and then the thunder boomed, and lightning flashed around like it would bring down the mountain. And, she mused, if she had elf hearing, she may hear a foul voice on the air.

Shaking her hear, she continued on for another few hundred meters. There was an incredible flash, followed by a few more shortly after. Then great thunderous booms rocked the earth around her.

A blinding flash consumed her, the car filling with a smoke.

And then she fell through the all-consuming fog. Wanting it to be her end, so it was over before it began. And it was her end.

For when her eyes opened, she was in a hall of such brilliance she could swear she was in heaven. But she wasn't the religious kind, so that was out of the equation. It left her with a great big burning ball of cods-wallop.

* * *

She was alone in the golden halls, inscribed with all sorts of decorations. She walked to the other side of the room, and up a small flight of stairs where a window that spanned the length of the wall was, broken only by its supports. She marveled at the craftsmanship. Nothing on Earth could compare to this, and she knew, she wasn't on Earth. But it was the only thing she could compare it to.

She noted it was more of a deck when she approached, held up with columns no more than two feet thick. The deck went out only a meter or two before it had a railing to prevent any unwary visitor to slip into the depths below.

Her eyes caught the wonders outside. Where a gold city met an ocean. And where that ocean met an infinite cosmos that was referred to as space. And jutting out into it was a bridge of infinite colors, with a single golden dome at its head.

And then the doors opened with a boom as they hit the walls. It startled the woman, causing her to try and vanish into her little niche. But she had luck on her side.

The company that entered were arguing about something she couldn't quite hear. Due to the shrill ringing bouncing around her ears. And then she noted she had wondered further onto the small balcony than she realized, and hid behind a pillar.

They may be arguing about her, she had no clue. She had to fight to keep silent.

It took her a while to catch onto the fact that they were not arguing in the slightest. They were trying to, as she put had to put it, out boast each other.

And then the words they spoke wove together into coherent thoughts. She could hear properly again. They were speaking of battles, and how they wouldn't have gotten out at all if it weren't for something or other happening. She then caught a name. Out of all of them, she caught one name.

'Thor.' And it came from a rich voice, the voice wanted Thor's attention for some reason.

'Yes brother?' Came the answering booming voice, of who she could only assume to be Thor.

'Surely you do not wish to try and win this, do you Loki?' A higher pitched voice rang out in a mocking tone.

Someone scoffed, probably Loki if he had just been mocked, 'I would clearly be the victor.' The rich voice from earlier joked, clearly belonging to Loki. She then heard someone moving towards her, and take a seat on the stairs.

Her hair was on end, and she knew they didn't know she was there. She didn't want them to know. If anything she'd heard of their feats were true, well, she may as well be a stuffed turkey on thanks-giving.

She tried her hardest not to move from her spot. To not make a noise as she smelt some form of roast assail her nose. She even looked back out over the city and sea to space, wondering why this all felt familiar.

A gasp escaped her, bringing her back enough to hear a small voice respond to the booming one. One that felt and sounded stronger before.

'But, of course.' Loki had responded.

She was shaking on the spot, wishing she could just run and jump over the rail to safety. Wanting it to bring her back home, or to that spot on the road with the storm. She just wanted to be somewhere safe.

What she didn't notice was the silence that followed Loki's response. She had been so lost in the fact she actually knew where she had ended up, and the fact she thought it was a horrible world. Only due to it being filled with so many uncertain possibilities, that she failed to noticed the silence wasn't the silence of getting her wish. Nor was it the one of being lost in your own mind.

It was the moment she saw a face of a man she didn't recognize that she knew her gasp had been noticed. She silently cursed herself for it.

The man before her was handsome in his own way, with blonde hair and a small build, he was slightly taller than her. He had a mustache, as well as a goatee, and his hair dangled just past his ears. What she thought to be truly odd was the fact that he was wearing armor. And he had a sword.

Her heart was hammering against it's cage.

'Who are you?' A voice boomed from her left, causing her to jump and whip her head to the side. She came face to face with the God of Thunder. Complete with hammer, wrist-cuffs, royal Asgardian armor, red cape, blonde hair. Muscles, stubble and the blue eyes to top it off. She would guess he was a full head or more taller than her.

She then noted the other four. One was a woman. They all had some sort of armor on, in the same style. They all had weapons. All but the one in black with raven hair. He was the most out of place looking thing. Well, other than the woman that is.

The Aesir Lady had long hair that hung below her shoulders, her hair was as dark as her eyes. Then there was a wide man with a beard and red hair. The last looked of Asian decent, with a small stature and dark hair.

Thor's voice boomed out once more. 'You will answer me spy. Tell me who you are and how you slipp Heimdall's gaze!'

'I'm not a spy.' She squeaked out. 'Who's Heimdall?' The woman asked, genuine confusion streaking across her face. That was until she tried to pull any mention of the name from the recess' of her mind. Then she knew he was the gatekeeper of Asgard, and the one who watched over the nine realms from the Bi-Frost for any threats to the realm. Or so she thought.

Thor looked murderous when she denied being the very thing she was not. She wasn't lying when she had said she wasn't a spy. But he was stopped before he could begin, his brother placed a hand upon his arm, 'Thor, look at her. I don't think she is anything but lost.'

'It could be a trick.' The mustache man said, gaining a nod of approval from Thor.

'I agree Fandral. We will take her to the Allfather, and see what he will have us do.' Thor took her arm in his hand with a firm grip, leading her from the room and to his father. The remainder of the entourage trailing closely behind in case she tried to escape.

She knew she would never be able to escape the grasp of an Aesir, she was human and knew for a fact they were vastly stronger than her. Instead of struggle, she let them lead her to her doom.

If anything, she had now decided on what she truly hated in both universes. And it was something that was present in both as well. It was something quite loud and wet. It was the very thing she connected as the sole reason of her being in Asgard, the storm of ice and rain and light and fog.

A painfully long amount of time seemed to pass before they seemed to betting anywhere. All the hallways were as one to her, all golden. All bare of any resemblance to Earth. All alien to her.

But it didn't stop her mind from wandering. Her mid settled on pondering over how she had gotten here, to a universe with monsters and magic, and then to the fact she was actually in it. It wasn't a story book, nor a movie she could just watch and be done with.

No, it couldn't be as simple as a movie, with everything planned out. With the ending known and the beginning simple, all planned out. Predictable. No. This was Marvel. Or it wasn't Marvel, not the cinematic universe any-hoot. It was the real deal. Which meant anything could happen, she didn't know what was to come, and she couldn't change anything. Could she?

* * *

Then came the grand golden doors. With designs upon them that seemed to move with your eyes, and shift with your step. The guards at either side of the doors gave the woman in Thor's grasp no second glance. They just opened the doors, letting the entourage in.

The room was grand, with a roof that seemed too high for its own good. A narrow carpet with gold trim rolled its way over the marbled floors of the palace, right to the throne. Columns stood tall and proud every few meters down the run-way, and continued to do so until they reached the throne and walls to the side.

At the throne, a throne that sat high on a raised dias, was gold and as wide as the reach between the columns, and as tall as the Thunder god. Perched upon it was a greying man, with a spear in hand. He had a golden eye-patch and armor akin to Thor's, only it was gold, red and white.

To his side was a lady with dark hair, standing by the throne. Wearing a dark dress and her head was held high, a royal of Asgard no doubt.

She decided the one on the throne must be the Allfather, Odin. The woman to his left may have been his wife, Frigga, if she remembered correctly from the movie. But she could be wrong, and she knew it was in her best interest to forget the past. Well, the past containing the past, or future, of those present.

Doing so may lead her back to her world, if she could ever get back that is. The mere fact that she is here raises some serious questions. Including how they hadn't noticed she was wearing something they would never find on Asgard, how she 'snuck' past the gatekeeper, slipped the guards and everyone else, and then been in the right place at the right time, to be found by Thor and his band of merry men. Then there is the energy that surely would have spiked in this world, much like it did near her car.

How many others were there, she wondered. Perhaps the curator of many of the Marvel heroes had actually come from here himself, or from so far in this universes history that he just had all the knowledge memorized. That was a big if, she knew. But everything was so out of whack she didn't particularly care at the moment.

And then a sharp voice hissed in her ear, 'You should kneel before your King.'

She did as the voice instructed, more out of not wanting anything to escalate than out of actual respect. She only treated people with respect who done the same in kind. It was then that they briefly discussed how she was found.

She noted all the others were still standing and wondered why she was the only one kneeling. She looked at 'her King', trying to think of anything she may say to get out of this mess. If there were a way at all.

'This is the second time today that someone had entered Asgard without my leave. And twice they have slipped Heimdall's gaze, perhaps we need another gatekeeper.' The man mused, he was now standing and moved to the stairs.

She wondered if he would keel over at any moment, he looked far to frail to be on the throne still. But he was there, and she knew even the old Aesir could snap her like a twig if he so desired.

'Rise.' The Allfather ordered, and she complied. He turned his gaze to Thor and his companions, then back to the girl. 'My Sons failed to tell me your name, what is it?'

'Julia Murphy.' The words left her lips softly, but her voice carried far, as if it was compelled to reach every inch of the chamber.

'How did you enter Asgard, if not by the Bi-frost?" Odin asked, but if you payed attention, you'd hear it wasn't a question at all. He was a man use to answers when asked, it wold only sound like it was one. You never really had a choice of if you would answer. It would be when and how truthful.

She squirmed in her spot a moment, wanting nothing more than to flee for dear life. But she knew she'd get nowhere fast, 'I don't know.' She answered softly and truthfully, avoiding the Allfathers gaze.

His stare on the girl hardened, she could feel it and looked back to him. He was not amused at her supposed lack of knowledge. 'Tell me the truth and your sentance may be lessened.' Then there was the fact he was thousands of years old, he could tell a lie before it left your lips. He could find the truth and see it before it was announced.

Her eyes widened a little at that. Sentance? She'd done nothing wrong, not intentionally. And she was suppose to know who they all were and how to act. But all she knew was what she'd read, or watched on the tele' or at the movies. 'I am telling the truth.' She huffed, thinking of how to get out of this, she doubted the truth would do any good. About her car fogging and this being an alternate-reality to her. How this wasn't real and she was going to wake up any minute now.

She wanted it all to be a dream. She wanted that storm to pass over and not put her into a coma where her dream wanted her dead and gone. Why couldn't it have sent her to a nicer reality where there wasn't anything evil waiting around the corner? Then she realized there wasn't a place in existence that didn't have evil or monsters.

Then she pinched herself, the only other logical thing was she was knocked out and locked in a dream. And then the pinch didn't wake her.

So, there was always the chance this wasn't a dream. That it was real. And that if she didn't speak anything more she may not have a head left to speak with. Then she noted he had actually said Asgard, not Earth, not Midgard, Asgard. She was truly on another world. And it only served to confirm her suspicions.

'I'm from Earth...' She started, not sure on how to continue.

Someone scoffed cutting her off, 'I'm sure you are. And that's how you could slip into Asgard undetected.' Loki sniggered, coming to stand at the base of the stairs by Odin. 'Only an extremely powerful sorcerer could ever achieve what you suggest, and no Mortal could achieve it in their lifetime.'

If only she were actually suggesting what he thought, it would be much easier. But it wasn't, it was so much more then they could realize. She knew that only the Tesseract could truly transport someone between worlds, no between universes, but even then it was less than obvious.

She glowered at Loki, truly not caring of the repercussions. 'If you let me finish, you may actually learn something.' She snapped at the Jotunn, not that he knew he was yet by the state of things she guessed. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.

Thor let loose a chuckle before he could contain it, he wasn't use to someone talking like that to his brother. She wondered how long it was until the fall. Thor stopped suddenly, coming to his senses about the situation. 'Sorry.' He said quickly.

Odin had never taken his eyes off of their 'guest'. Loki had clenched his jaw, knowing it wouldn't do well to attack her. Especially if she were a Midgardian. He went to speak but was silenced by the Allfather's hand in the air to silence him. 'I think, it would be wise to not antagonize my Son further.' She nodded once, 'Good, now speak quickly, do not try my patience.'

She wanted to say something about their age, and having to have patience due to having lived so long, but decided against it. Instead, she chose another course of action. She was just going to tell them the truth in the simplest way possible. "A storm brought me here. To the room where... They found me." She motioned to Thor to get her point across.

"I did not bring you here." Thor protested.

"Apologies, I wasn't aware I said you did." She snapped back. The truth was, she wasn't usually like this. It was more when she was nervous, like testing the bounds.

Odin ignored the banter, instead focusing on a bit of information she produced. "What was this storm like?" The Allfather probed.

She proceeded to recount the storm that had brought her here, not that she found any of it interesting. There had been worse storms than the one she'd been in. Only she had never been in one exactly like it before. But the ones like it that she had, never had been so combined of the elements a storm of those mountains would bring. It had rattled her.

And it also seemed now that the adrenaline was finally wearing off and the shock of being in a new reality was setting in. She began to shake a bit, but not from the cold. It was warm and she still had a coat on.

For a while that stretched into an eternity for her, all was silent. Odin was going over all she had told him, and what he knew. He nodded once, "You are as you claim to be. And are free to go back to Midgard."

Back to Midgard? If anything she had been saying was true, then the Midgard of this Asgard wasn't her own. Then again, she hadn't told them about this all being a movie to her. That she had in fact seen them all on the big screen. Even if they looked a tad different to their movie counterparts. They were the same, in a roundabout way.

It took those few precious moments to register what he had said. Odin believed her. 'Thank you!' The words rushed out.

She had been so shocked that Odin had accepted her knowledge as truth when she was sure there was nothing like it at home. So, she was being sent back to Midgard. A Midgard that wasn't her own. It would be a true nightmare if she was on SHIELDS most wanted in this universe. That would make it the worst day of her life.

Odin nodded once at Julia, 'Do not speak of your visit here, it would be most unwise.' Odin then looked to his sons and their entourage. 'Escort her to the Bi-frost so she may be sent back to Midgard.'

She noted that as the dismissal, as the others turned to leave. Only Loki walked up to her, clenched his jaw and gestured for her to turn. 'This way.' He hissed the words, clearly not liking her after her little outburst earlier.

She let them lead her from the Asgardian halls, down to the rainbow bridge and ultimately to the bi-frosts observatory. The very place Heimdall watches over the nine realms.

If it were any other occasion, she may have listened and responded properly to them. But it wasn't. Not that they talked to her, they just had to get rid of her, to get her 'home'. That's what it sounded like to her. She knew they'd ask Heimdall to keep an eye on her. Julia Murphy was no spy, but she may be the biggest threat to the space time continuum. To them, she was the only oddity they knew of for certain.

To herself, she had just entered the greatest universe there could ever be. She had also entered a universe where she may or may not exist. And she was about to face the biggest unknown of her trip thus far.

The Bi-frost activated with her standing at its cusp, it sucked her in. At first it was like taking off in a plane for the first time, then it was like being out in a rough sea. She was being rocked around with the cosmos of space with it whipping round her at unknown speeds.

Then it stopped all of a sudden. And she fainted.


	3. Chapter 3- EARTH (MIDGARD)

Julia Murphy lay on a couch in a room. The couch was worn, with a blanket thrown over it to make it much more comfortable. Or more appealing.

The floor was once polished wood, dulled from use over many years. A coffee table sat in the center of the room with two recliners opposing the couch she was on.

She still hadn't woken. Not even when the one who found her brought her here. Not when they carried her, or looked her over for any injuries. No, Julia Murphy had had one rough day. A day she would have rather it never happen.

But like most things over the past day, she had no control over it what-so-ever.

* * *

She opened her eyes, noting the decorum. It was plain and simple. She was alone, but she wasn't outside where she thought she should be. Outside near where she should have landed.

It left one option open in her mind. Someone had taken her into their home. And they hadn't called the authorities to collect her.

She was so glad for that last tid-bit. She didn't know anything about herself in this universe, if there was a Julia Murphy at all. Or if they even called themselves that, what they were, or who they were.

The only thing the Julia Murphy was sure of, was that whoever took her in probably knew her. Well, the her of this universe.

Footsteps could be heard from outside, then the door clicked open, causing Julia to pretend to be unconscious once more. When the door closed, the heavy foot-steps moved closer to where she was laying.

The figure placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently to try wake her. Her eyes snapped open, only to be faced with something she never considered before. She wasn't face to face with some lunatic, not that she knew of. Nor was she face to face with someone she'd seen but never met.

No. She was face to face with someone she had not seen for a few weeks. Only, their hair was brown and their eyes green. But, it was unmistakably her brother.

Her brother had an average build, in her universe he carried a small amount of fat. But here, he was lean. His hair was un-kept and he sported a small amount of stubble. He wore boots and heavy jeans with a simple tee shirt on.

'Wha-what?!' She stuttered, crawling back into the couch as far as it would let her. 'You look...'

'Different?' Her brother answered. 'I was wondering the same thing. Especially since you DIED!' He stood up, with his hands on his hips. Tongue between his teeth like he always had when he was annoyed at something.

'Luke, I'm not dead! I'm alive, never died. And... Uh. Um. I'm...' I'm from an alternate universe where this isn't real. She had wanted to say, but the words wouldn't leave her lips. Like they were stuck there. So, whatever brought her here didn't want her to say anything.

'You're what? Sorry? That isn't gonna cut it. I was worried. We were all worried.' He shook his head. 'We have to be careful you know that. SHIELD had been after us for years now, I thought they killed you. But here you are.' He gestured to Julia before running a hand down his face. 'We have to go, they'll be here soon.'

'SHIELD will? Why?'

'They tracked you. Duh!' He looked at her like it was the most obvious thing on earth. But, this wasn't her earth. She'd never run like he wanted her to now. And she had no clue as to why SHIELD would be after her and her brother.

'Luke, why are they after us?' She had to know why they were after them. It could be a multitude of things, but she knew it would have to be sever enough to warrant them actively seeking them out. It was like the whole hydra fiasco that would take place in a few years.

'We have to go, now!' He hurried her avoiding the question. 'We don't have time to answer your questions. We gotta go now, okay? Cars ready.'

She nodded, knowing she'd have to play along to get any answers from her brother. A brother that was also not her brother. A brother from another universe. 'Okay.' Julia replied simply, silently thanking her brother not removing her shoes.

Once she was up they moved to the garage, finding an old toyota 4wd awaiting them. Julia climbed in the passenger seat, Luke took the driver side.

He floored the car out of the already open garage and down the dirt road. Julia was relieved that they were in Australia, she had obviously asked to get sent back to where she once lived. A place she only owned in her dimension. Or was it universe? She dearly hoped it was her old universe, dimension traveling would be something else.

The car was silent. There was no radio, no talking. It was awkward. The minutes dragged on for what seemed like forever. The trees whizzed by, and still they were silent.  
'So.' She broke the silence first. 'How did I die?'

'SHIELD.' He said simply, glancing at her briefly. 'You don't remember?'

She wanted to try and tell him she was from a different reality, that she wasn't the sister he knew. But she had a feeling he knew that already. 'I don't remember dying. I only remember things from before we were running. Heck, I don't even remember why we're running.' She muttered the last part, but he still heard all she said.

'They shot you. You sacrificed yourself so we could get away.'

'We?' She pondered aloud. How many people had they been traveling with.

Luke nodded once, 'Next time they found us, he didn't make it.' He scratched his chin with his right hand, keeping the other on the wheel. He was watching for her reactions as he spoke.

While she was out, he had checked for any of those strange face masks he'd seen SHIELD use. It was because of those masks they'd gotten Simon. Simon had helped them stay ahead of SHIELD for a year or two, that was before they started tracking him.

By the looks on her face, looks that kept flashing and changing. He guessed she really didn't remember. He wondered if she remembered her power, how to control it. Or if she had it still. He then realized she would have used them accidentally by now if she still had them. What have they done to you?

'Why we running then?' She still needed to know the why. If they thought she was dangerous, they'd shoot on sight. Shoot first, ask questions later. Like they were monsters.

'They think we could be dangerous.' He given her the short end of the stick, they didn't think they were dangerous. They knew they were. And he wasn't going to tell her that.  
First chance he got, he'd ditch his sister and draw them away from her. Only he'd leave her with someone he trusted so they wouldn't get wind of his sister being alive.

Luke's face dropped about the same time his sisters did. They both heard the hum of the quinjet before they saw it. That gave Luke some hope, if she remembered that sound then perhaps she'd get her power and memories back. Then they'd be a force to be reckoned with.

Less than a minute passed and a Shield car stopped in their path, ten seconds after that another rammed into them from behind. They were trapped between the two vehicles.  
'Run!' Luke snapped at Julia. 'Julia, you have to run. They'll kill you. I can't lose my lil' sister again.' Desperation was clear in his voice. He knew she didn't know how dangerous they were. But he could slow them down. Give her a head start like she did for him.

She got the seat belt off easy enough, but hesitated at the door, she couldn't leave her brother. Even if it was alternate universe brother. Even if she had a gag that wouldn't allow her to tell him she wasn't really his sister.

She wouldn't even be able to tell him, she finally decided. She'd given him something he hadn't had in a while. She didn't even know how long her other self had been dead for. In this universe, she was the powerless doppelganger. 'I'll see you again.'

Those words were more than a promise to this brother. It was to the brother she saw when she looked at him. One she may never see again. One that was the same in almost every way. One that had brown eyes and her colored hair. She promised she'd find a way home and out of this disaster.

She wasn't saying goodbye. She didn't like endings. They were to final. No, she was going to see her brother again. She was going to see her world. Her friends. Her family.

SHIELD was nothing where she was from. No one had super powers and no one was after her. She wanted her plain old boring life back. With no unexpected trips to Asgard, no bi-frost voyages, and defiantly no rally drives through the bush.

It was time to stop beating round the bush, she opened the door and bolted from the car. Knowing she was going to see her family again someday gave her the energy to run. And run she did, faster than she should have thought possible.

But she was being followed, her brother frowned. Concentrating on those following her, even though his powers had been weaker than his sisters, he had to try. Somehow, his power worked. He made them forget about his sister, they were headed back here for him.

He smiled, knowing his sister was safe for now. His sister had a chance.

* * *

They had both forgotten about the jet. The jet that seemed silent in the clashing of the crash. That and everything else going on around them made them oblivious to the near silent humming of the jet.

It hovered above Julia, keeping up with her like the Cap'n with Falcon. It overtook her and lowered agents to the ground. By the time she noted the jet she had practically run into its side, she turned to see a group of agents surrounding her.

None were approaching. Why aren't they approaching? Julia wondered. Her heart was hammering against its cage, begging to be released. They had plenty of time to approach, they could shoot her and kill her like they had before. So why weren't they shooting?

She was stuck in a forest, surrounded by SHIELD, and she could only think of how she was already breaking her promise. She took a step forward, immediately noticing the agents mimicking her movements backwards.

And then, she noticed someone to her left holding a completely different kind of gun to the others. The Agents were in black tactical gear. They should be boiling in that, but they aren't. Not that they'd let you close enough to notice if they were.

The singular Agent with the different gun had it pointed at her. Daring her to move. But she didn't want to move. She couldn't fight, not to save her life. She didn't have any powers, not like her brother in this universe. Not like the her that died in this universe. She was truly tired of all this business. She just wanted to be home, not on the receiving end of multiple agencies most wanted. Not as a spy on another world. And certainly not as an in-human like her marvel counterpart.

The Agent was a woman, that was all Julia could tell. The moment their eyes locked, the Agent fired. A singular bang echoed around the trees. The bullet hit her square in the shoulder. As she reached for her shoulder, she found it hadn't been a bullet.

There was no blood, just a dart that had pierced her clothes and gone through her skin. She took it out and looked at it, its tail a black feathery tip.

Her world began to spin much like it had on the Bi-Frost. But less rough sea and more and more screeching tires and mountain bends, that kind of spinning.

She hit the leaf litter, her vision clouding the blue-green skies. Skies that were wrong. But what was more wrong was the fact she was dead. To the Agents and the world, she was dead. A ghost.

But to Julia Murphy, she had never died. Not unless this was what the afterlife truly was. And if that was true, then she was in hell. A hell that just swallowed her into unconsciousness. Again.


	4. Chapter 4- SHIELD

SHIELD. Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate. It was the best welcome home present ever. Or, it would have been, if Julia wasn't currently locked away in some dank dark cellar waiting to be executed.

Well it wasn't exactly a cellar, BUT, she felt like it was. It was a shiny cellar. With one of those fancy two-way mirrors. A chair, a table, and look! Another chair!

It was the plainest looking room she had ever been in. All metallic-y, with a big SHIELD logo on the wall. And she had awoken in this very same room two hours ago. With her leg chained to the table. The table that was bolted to the floor.

She wondered how long she would have to wait in this swell place. How long it would be until she was home. And not just back to her place in the bush. But her place in the bush, back in Australia. All fixed up how she had it. Not run down. Not...

She just wanted to be back home. In her universe where this was all a story. Just a story that was on the big screen.

* * *

Her head turned to the door as it clicked open. A man walked in, and no, it wasn't Clint Barton, the one and only Legolas AKA Hawkeye. It was a man in a suit, with some fancy specs on.

He closed the door behind him, tossing a folder with a SHIELD logo on it. Classified was stamped on the front in red.

He then flipped it open, revealing it to be her folder. It had her name, D.O.B, close family. And then there was a big stamp on her face. One that said she was dead. 'DECEASED'.

But the hair was wrong, it was the same colour as her brothers, and according to the file, their eyes were the same.

'I'm agent Blake. Tell me, how are you here? I read the report, they shot you five times. Your remains were cremated. It makes me wonder what other powers you have.'

'I don't have any powers?' She answered, not taking her eyes off of the folder.

The agent scoffed at her, taking the file and flipping to another page. He cleared his throat before reading it aloud, "Julia Roberts, died at age 22, born December 1st 1990..." He looked up at her, 'You're not dead, obviously... "Powers manifested around age 7. Telekinesis, Pyrokenesis, Compulsion and telepathy. Unknown if any other form of kinesis was, IS, present." He snapped the folder shut and laid it on the table. 'I don't know how you're here, but you should start talking. The faster this goes, the sooner you get to go home.'

By home, Julia guessed they meant the sandbox, or whatever it was called. 'I am telling you the truth. I have never had any powers, I don't know why I'm here. I only know that you think I'm someone that I'm obviously not!' She slammed her hands on the table, causing a small dent. But no one took any notice of that.

The Agent pulled a picture out, one that didn't have the cross through it and held it up for a comparison. 'You're the same person.' He then passed her the photo, 'Can you honestly tell me this isn't you?'

She took the photo in her hands, looking at the mirror behind the Agent. This was to confirm she still had her hazel eyes and blonde hair. She did. The photo was in colour, but the hair was wrong. It was as brown as her brothers, even the eyes were different. They were green. 'It isn't me.' The words were barely audible.

But the Agent caught them, he scoffed. 'When the DNA test comes back you'll see.' As he finished saying that his phone beeped three times. He took it out and read whatever it was.

His face fell like he'd found out his test results came back positive, for some form of something that he wouldn't come back from.

'What?' She snapped, truly wondering what caused the shift in the Agent.

He just turned the phone around and showed her. Even she couldn't believe what she read. Officially, she didn't exist. There was no record of her finger prints or DNA on record.

The only closest thing they got was the photo of Julia Roberts of this Earth.

'Uh...' She didn't know where to start, well she did. But once again, her tongue was tied. And she had no clue as to why. She just couldn't tell anyone she was from an alternate universe-thingy. And then she had promised Odin she wouldn't say anything about Asgard.

SO now she was just waiting for the Agent guy to start talking, or something. 'What is your name...' He started to talk, but she zoned him out.

Everything came crashing in around her. Her world was nothing more than a whisper on the wind. Why the sky was different. Why the air tasted too fresh and clear. Why it was brighter. Or was it? Nothing was wrong here, but nothing was right. Not to her.

She looked at her hands. She had nothing. Was nothing. Just a single entity dropped into another universe for no apparent purpose. To a year she had already lived. To a place she was younger. She nodded mindlessly to the question the Agent had asked.

And she did write it down. Everything she could think of, all in a daze. Then she simply nodded when he asked if it was correct.  
He left moments later, locking the door.

She skimmed the folder he left behind. Reading everything abut her other self. How she started a fire at school in a fight. Throwing people across rooms in fits of emotions, fits that came regularly. Then she saw the power list. Everything was on there the agent had said, but there was something she felt they missed. One they might have put in with telepathy. Empathy.

It would have explained the mood swings. But she had none of that. Not in her universe, and not in this one as herself.

She was just plain old Jessica Murphy. Flung through time and space into the MCU for some Gods cruel amusement.

Agent Blake stepped back in the door, with another agent behind him. 'You have two options, and only two. You can either work with SHIELD, and train to become an Agent. Or, you can swear to secrecy and go free, knowing we will be watching you your entire life. And if you talk about SHIELD, you will be taken to a secure location.'

This wasn't much of a choice for her, it was survive or be dumped on the streets like garbage. Garbage that wasn't even that here.

She looked between the Agents. Knowing they would probably bring her to her final destination. 'I would like to train to be an Agent.'

* * *

Months passed with Julia in SHIELD. She had heard about a lot of things. Iron Man AKA Tony Stark. Thor and his trip in New Mexico. The Hulk and Harlem. She was well informed.

But strange things started happening too. She felt like she was forgetting. Like she wasn't part of her old universe anymore. She didn't want to forget. She promised she would get home. See her family again.

Even if she was part of SHIELD, she knew it was her best shot at getting home. That was a big part of why she accepted the first of two choices. She also wanted to know how to  
protect herself from a world of monsters and magic.

Luke was sent to the Sandbox. She would never see him again, not until HYDRA popped back up anyhoot. She was definitely not looking forward to that.

* * *

Julia loved training day. And I mean LOVEED it. As much as you love sitting on a prickle bush or stepping on a bee. Yeah, not fun.

Her combat training started three months in. The first few days she landed flat on her back in the first five minutes of it starting. But like any skill, practice made perfect.

And to her utter dismay, she never met an Avenger, not that they were that yet. She wasn't even in a high level facility. Just one out of New York state.

The words she used the most during her training sessions were, 'I hate you,' and 'I'm sorry, I hate the mat.' Both didn't get far with the instructors.

She wasn't really getting any better, but she couldn't get any worse either. Two months passed like this when they finally decided maybe she wouldn't be cut out as a field agent. But, she insisted.

She wanted to get home. She couldn't do that stuck behind a desk, and she couldn't do it on the streets alone. She needed this place more than it needed her.

After that day, she got stuck into her training. She started to realise they didn't need her. But, she could try. Try to be something bigger and better than herself. The self that died. The self that had powers.

She started to improve. Slowly, but she did it.

* * *

More moths passed and she stopped thinking of home, and how to get there. She'd have to wait for the tesseract. And, she hated to admit it, Thor. She knew she'd somehow have to get home with the Tesseracts power.

It was the only thing she knew of that could do it.

At home, she may have been dead. Here she was alive. Her brother was alive, he was the only one.

.

* * *

Anyone at SHIELD would be able to tell you they'd know a meta-human when they saw one. But, they'd be lying to you. They look like any other. They only indicator is their blood, if you can get a sample, or if they show you their powers.

But Julia Roberts, didn't know she had any, they left that out of the file they showed her. Their was indicators that she may have some. But it wasn't the DNA that showed it. It was the energy in her blood.

Her instructors would tell you it was the way she seemed to see right through you. The way she got up after a fight like it happened yesterday. She didn't notice it until her first miss-hap on base.

A recruit misfired their gun. It was only a glock, but it hit her square in the chest after rebounding. She had the best luck.  
They rushed her to the med-bay, trying to stop the blood. Blood they were complaining was the wrong colour. But, it was right. It was the right shade of red, but there wasn't much of it.

She didn't even make it to med-bay when everything stopped. She felt herself knitting back together, like the universe was trying to right its wrong. She noted how the long pale hallways turned blue, how no one was breathing and how no one spoke or moved.

And then how this little metallic object rolled down her chest and off the gurney onto the floor. It clattered on the floor and everything began to move again. Everyone shouted and moved like her life depended on it, but it didn't.  
She was whole and she was fine.


	5. Chapter 5- New York

YEP. New York, New York. The place where Stark tower resides.

The tower where the giant portal of doom appeared. A portal that the Avengers closed a week ago without Julia Roberts help. She was still in her facility when it all went down. Training her new found abilities.

But today, she was on her way to meet the Avengers. Much to her dismay.

Lets back up two months, to the day after she was shot. She was still in the med-bay as they all tried to figure out what as going on.

And then one Phill Coulson walked in. The most recognisable character in existence. The one who would cheat death due to some weird Kree dude and think he was in Tahiti.

But that wasn't what caught her eye. It was the folder he had with him, which she skimmed over when handed to her. They talked a little and she was sent to another program the next day. By that I mean her training was switched, thing became much more dangerous and she had the feeling she would be asked to join the Avengers.

To which she found out a week later, from Phil himself. 'We're considering you for the Avengers initiative.'

'No way! That is so awesome they're my...' once more she found herself unable to say anything. 'Spoilers.' She mumbled, mimicking a character she knew. If only they were real too, then maybe she'd be home already.

But, she'd made a new home. Kinda, the shack she turned into a home in her old world was still a shack here. But, like that old shack, it was owned by her family. So, what else as she to do than fix that one up as well?

With all the money that SHIELD was giving her, and nothing to do with it, she got people to fix it up.

Back to SHIELD and their hocus pocus. Coulson came to visit her every other week up until his facility was attacked. The one with the tesseract. She had been counting down the days. And then she had been counting them again until everything would calm down in its own way.

But she wasn't expecting to be called to meet them. And a week after the battle had ended, shouldn't they have been back in Asgard by now, with Loki being imprisoned?

It just cemented in her mind the fact that what she knew, and what would happen, couldn't be the same. It was different. It wasn't a fairy tale. She still couldn't help but feel sorry for Jane, Thor's honey bun, and the dark elves. Huh, that sounds odd, but true in its own way.

SHIELD discovered her healing factor. Which was strange, it only slowed down time around her that first time. And then there was the blob of energy she'd thrown at an agent that freaked her out in training. Enhanced reflexes. She was about as fast as the one and only Cap'n America, but nowhere near as strong. But still strong enough to dent a table.

* * *

She exited the SHIELD car with Director Fury, following his lead as he headed for the elevator of STARK tower. She felt like calling it the A tower, given that was the only letter left standing. She was in some cargo pants and had a jacket on, along with boots. She was asked to go in her civies, she had no clue as to why. She tended not to question SHIELD. It didn't get her anywhere.

But she was more nervous than anything, and she was also the only energy user SHIELD had, so they figured they'd bring in another super to help supervise the demi-god.

Which she did not enjoy. Fury hit the button to candy-land. Better known as the lab, where Loki was meant to be. He was also meant to be helping them get the tesseract to behave. It was the only reason they were still here. The thing Thor had didn't work. They were stranded.

The door chimed, and JARVIS' voice with it, 'I have informed Mr. Stark of your arrival.'

'I won't blame you if you sent Stark through a wall.' Fury mentioned as he stepped into the lab, before turning his attention to the billionaire. 'Have you gotten it to work?'

The lab was filled with all kinds of gizmos, and then there was the trademark machine's. Dummy, you and the other one. She noticed who was in the room, Loki, Thor, Banner, he was a man who looked so calm you wouldn't know he was a rage monster. And then of course there was Tony, the man who saved NY city and flew into a portal with a nuke.

Crazy dude.

'It has nothing wrong with it, technically speaking.' Stark spoke wile tapping a pen on his hand.

Thor sighed, 'It refuses to leave this world for a reason we have yet to grasp.'

'Then find out.' Nick ordered.

Even though she was a part of SHIELD, and ultimately this universe, she refused to accept Fury as SHIELDS director. T was just odd to her. To take orders from a person that never existed. She was slowly wrapping her head around it. And Julia also had a knack for being ignored. Something she figured that had to do with her powers and not truly belonging here.

When she finally stepped out of the elevator, the Tesseracts energy spiked. It flashed a brilliant blue, sending things flying out from its location next to Tony. And, that included the man himself.

It stopped as soon as it begun. Julia took that one fateful startled step backwards, saving the lab from further damage. 'I'm just gonna wait here.' She grumbled.

Fury had already turned to face her, 'What did you do?!' He snapped at her, drawing the attention of all other occupants of the lab to her.

'Stepped off of the elevator.' Her voice was distant. Her eyes seemed empty as they gazed ahead. And she's stiff, the case that held the Tesseract, not the fancy one with gold and glass, the one that was more like a suit-case. It was gone. Vamoosed when the Tesseract done its dance.

'Do it again.' Loki's smooth voice commanded.

'NO! No. Do NOT move. Nuh-uh.' Tony shouted, struggling to get up. It took him a moment or two before he managed to, then he moved to Furys side. 'Who are you?'

'You are Julia Murphy, are you not?' Thor answered for her. He was looking for confirmation more than anything, he had no idea why she would have come in with Director Fury, but why the heck not?

'You know each other?' Banner put in his two cents, pointing between Julia and Thor. He turned his attention back to Fury, 'Is that why she's here?'

'We were unaware she had any connection to Thor, or Asgard.' Fury spoke evenly as he continues to stare at her.

Loki sniggered, 'You are observant brother.' But no one paid any attention to him, no one but Tony, who gave him a quick glare.

'This is no coincidence, first Asgard and now the Tesseract. Perhaps it had brought you to our world.' Thor thought aloud.

If only it were that simple. If only she lived in the same place and time that they did from birth. But she didn't. And she couldn't tell them that. The only thing she, or anyone else could agree upon, was that she was human. And that she was almost the same as the one and only Julia Murphy of the MCU.

'Doubt it.'

She barely got the words out before Fury spoke again, 'You never mentioned that either.'

I can't mention a lot of things, she thought. Knowing she could never truly say anything. Not unless someone read her mind when she was thinking of the right thing at exactly the right time. But even then, it was a long shot. She was in this alone. Whatever this was. And now, more than ever, she was at the knifes edge. If she couldn't throw this the right way, then she would be in the Sandbox. Even if it wasn't for long.

Tony had begun to look up anything he could find on one Julia Murphy. He had gotten his phone out the second he'd heard Thor mention her name. But he didn't expect there to be two files.

One on the deceased Julia, which was the file he pulled up first, then the one on the alive one. The one the Tesseract had a fit over when she entered the room. 'Oh shit!' Stark called as he handed the device to Banner.

'So SHIELD killed your twin, and now you work for them? AND you take her name? Or, did she take yours so no one knew you existed?' Stark began rambling off his own theories.

'I don't have a twin.' She insisted, folding her arms over her chest.

Banner seemed to pay more attention to the files, more than Tony's skim any-hoot. He looked from the device to the girl a few times. 'She's right, Tony. According to the DNA they don't share any markers. Which is impossible. It's like her whole genome has a...'

'Has a what?' Tony snapped, 'They look the same. SHIELD even got it wrong.'

'What did they get wrong, I do not understand.' Thor boomed, louder than necessary. No one noticed Julia flinch, they were in their own little world now. She was at its epi-centre, but they still overlooked her.

Fury turned to face what could potentially be the bigger threat, 'SHIELD took down a hostile two years ago. She was dangerous and out of hand. Looked exactly like our friend here. BUT, it wasn't. We took the other one out. The other Julia Roberts.'

'You killed her sister?' Tony jabbed.

'No, we killed Julia Roberts.' Fury stated once more.

Loki laughed, gaining amusement out of the situation. Watching the people who defeated his army and ultimately himself bicker as they once kinda had on the heli-carrier. A contraption he would rather not like to find himself on again any time soon.

'What do you find so amusing, Brother?' Thor commanded, striding to Loki's side.

'Even a mortal can harness magic. Perhaps she led you all to believe she was dead.' The tricksters voice carried through the room.

The said mortal huffed, 'I'll throw you through a trans-dimensional storm and see how you like it.' The words flowed out of her mouth easily.

'You could try.' Loki sneered.

'You will not touch her!'

'I'm pretty sure she could take care of herself.'

'Did anyone else realise she said trans-dimensional storm?' Banner said, trying to break the tension, having no luck.

'I would like to see her 'take care of herself'.'

'Would everyone take a deep breath, and calm down.'

'You said it Fury, lets all calm down.'

The room started to pulse, the lights were on but they dimmed. They they'd go back to full brightness again. But it wasn't the lights dimming, it was everything. Everything went silent as the room fell into perpetual darkness.

There was no glow of the Tesseract, just a picture. One of a car and its passenger. In a storm, on a mountain.

'Wha...?'

'Shhhhh...'

The voices were muffled. So muffled it seemed impossible for her to hear anything. But she did.

The imaged flashed once and the driver was being consumed with fog, the car at a stand still. But the woman in the car wasn't. She looked about, and then she was gone.

The room turned back to normal in a haze of blue. Somehow, they all knew the Tesseract had somehow shown them something about their guest. Something that she herself had experienced.

'THAT WAS THE STORM YOU TALKED TO ODIN OF!' Thor boomed, looking at the life. But she wasn't there. Not in the way he expected, she was huddled in the corner, clutching at anything she could get a grip on.

She didn't want to get shipped of to another universe. Not after last time. And if it did happen, she wanted it to be back home. With her normal life. Her normal friends. And family. Not here. Not with SHIELD. And definitely not in a place with Monsters and Magic and everything you were told isn't real.

She mouthed things over and over. 'Please leave me be, don't take me away. Take me home.' It felt the same to her. The same as the storm that had a bad sense of timing. A storm that was messing up everything in this universe. It was why she guessed she couldn't say anything.

Banner walked over to her, 'What did you mean trans-dimensional storm? Did it bring you to Asgard?' He asked softly, trying not to spook her more. 'It's okay, you can tell us.'

She shook her head, she guessed the only reason she said that was because it was a threat. Something that could be taken for something else, and something that just slipped out. 'I-I can't. Every time I try to say something the only real thing I can say is spoilers.'

'You're saying more now!' Tony whined.

'I'm not tryi...'

'Perhaps I cou...'

'No, Loki.' Thor cut him off. Knowing what he would ask of the girl.

'It is her choice.' Loki countered.

'Try it.' She spoke the words before they registered, and then began thinking of what would happen in Asgard. With the Elves but before that. Of a place she hadn't seen in Asgard. 'Try read it.' She tried to convey that she knew what he wanted to do.

He shook his hands, which seemed to have some sort of bindings on them. Thor took them off him reluctantly, standing by his brother as he made his way to the mortal. He placed two fingers on her forehead as she tried to make herself larger.

It didn't work to well for her, he was still a good few inches taller than her. Loki smirked at her display, pleased to see that he still had this kind of reaction to people who met him before the war. But then his smile faded, and he gasped. He saw himself in a cell, dishevelled.

He saw the Other dead.

He saw a man with a metal arm.

He saw the Avengers in Thanos' realm defeated.

He saw posters and years. And he was afraid.

He staggered backwards. Looking at her with something Thor hadn't seen in his brother. He knew in that instant that she did not belong here. And he knew he had to lie for this poor girl. A girl he wanted to save.

But he couldn't. Something was at work in the universe. Something he hoped was not Thanos, and he also dearly hoped his father, that Odin had no part in it.

'I do not pity you.' Was all he said to her, before looking at the Avenger trio and Fury. He searched for words, but was speechless.

'Well, that's a first.' Tony chirped, 'What did he do to you kid?'

'I looked into her mind, but found nothing but her origin.' Loki defended himself.

Fury raised his one good eyebrow. 'And?'

'She is from another universe.'


End file.
